What on earth is a Buck Board Bench?

[@jdjd2922]

Most history is written about the top notch pieces, the high end, the upper ten life style. The stuff of the common man disappears in time, never gets into a museum or collection. That's why this is good.

[@ulrichbohmer6534]

This is so true above all measures!!!

[@kiyotomiyazaki1668]

No! That's why this is great!

[@joytotheworld9109]

Tell the algorithm to go pound sand, this journey into a unusual piece of furniture is perfect light viewing, informative and entertaining.

[@FowlerAskew]

These are my favorite videos Rex makes. I don't have a lot of time for woodworking, so long instructional videos aren't really my thing anymore, but learning about the history and hallmarks of woodworking is very interesting to me

[@drew2dee2]

i love these furniture forensics videos, every time i watch one i get the urge to go snoop around the underside of the furniture my great grandmother made to find all the flaws she hid lol

[@salottin]

Same!

[@EnsembleStantePede]

Same here, furniture forensics is a special kind of fun!🥰

[@LocketheIV]

Furniture Forensics is the best woodworking series on KZbin.

[@alemholas]

Fourniture and tool forensics gotta be one of the best series you have made. History, toolmarks and a little bit of modern archaeology sprinkled in. Very good stuff Rex!

[@brucematthews6417]

I love these Furniture Forensics videos. Keep 'em coming please!

[@dcmsr5141]

This was a great find, you better put that bench back before you get in trouble.

[@michaelferrin2688]

It's a bummer that the algorithm won't boost this kind of video. I love these and they are so interesting and I learn so much just about furniture, not to mention a few ideas here or there from it too.

[@heyitsthatdude17]

Love Furniture Forensics Rex. Always enjoyable to look at the craftsmanship of days gone by, both the professional and the amateur.

[@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj]

The first Shopsmith, a combination table saw, lathe and planer was shipping in 1940.

[@thomasslate5341]

Yea! Shopsmith. I have 1990 MK5 Model 510. And a Sawstop. Yes, I use both.

[@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj]

@@thomasslate5341 Shopsmith is the very last power tool manufactured in the United States. All the other brands are made in China.

[@joshuaguenin9507]

I believe ShopNation did a tour of the factory recently

[@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj]

@@joshuaguenin9507 I read their ads in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science on a regular basis, but never had the money to buy one.

[@jrkorman]

This kind of video reminds me of when I was still working as a computer programmer. Reading other people's code, either because there was a problem, we needed to find out how it worked to re-engineer it, or sometimes just to read it to get inside the other person's problem solving, was always a means to learn and refine my own craft. Please keep them coming!

[@orbitalair2103]

Software Archeology. Fun stuff.

[@jimhyslop]

Sometimes the other person is you, two or three years later. Been there, done that, wondering what the heck I was thinking...

[@victorquesada7530]

Thanks for this point about repurposing, and the intellectual humility that comes with admitting you didn't know something, but knew enough to piece it together afterwards.

[@johnwhitley2898]

Well, another forensic mystery solved..... Dr. Krueger is the Best! We were thinking 🤔 it was the Butler...... And all the while it was the Guy in the house with the Sears and Roebuck Catalog table saw and lathe........ 😆😆😆😆😆! Thanks Again Rex! Upright, it looks 100 years old and flipped over, the Brain was in high gear.... Hmmm those edges are way too crispy...😂! Very cool coffee table today. Very cool 😎👍

[@DougPalumbo]

Great furniture forensics education and throughly entertaining! Outstanding video!

[@LuxCheers]

You should go to Japan one day and analyse their old furniture. You'd be amazed how well some of these things are presented and common over there

[@rossmcleod7983]

The odd container load comes here from Japan into a few shops and OMG do they put a price on it. Stunning pieces reflecting perfectly their reverence for tradition, craft and aesthetics, it’s endlessly inspiring.

[@ryanstieglitz8077]

Totally totally love these furniture forensics videos. Keep them coming please

[@GingerTron2000]

What a beautiful and fun slice of history, thanks for sharing!

[@OliveHugh2]

Thanks patrons to ask for cool videos like this, thank you Rex for the analysis, it’s so fun.

[@iamnorwegian]

Incredible how much history there is to this thing that to me would have just seemed like an old rickety collection of planks. How many journeys and stories have taken place around that bench over the past 150 odd years? How cool that you were able to deduce and reconstruct such a long timeline, impressive.

[@negotiableaffections]

Sod algorythms Rex, this is a fantastic breakdown and really shows how our 'diy stuff' can be historically valuable like a good diary or journal.

[@dryroasted5599]

My dad was a home woodworker in the 1950's, right after he returned from war service. He made many pieces of fine furniture and cabinetry. One of his first projects was a table saw he built from a hardware kit. It was a passion he carried throughout his life.

[@rybernetics3694]

I teared up a bit at the end - I am rarely sentimental about "stuff," but this channel brings an appreciation of detail and purpose and history that is centered on the human connections we make with our work, even if some of them are just well informed guesses. There are many channels out there with fun videos about the coolest new toys on the market, but thinking about the value we create by remembering that history and incorporating it into our the things we make and share is what makes this hobby meaningful and fulfilling and ultimately worthwhile.

[@BlackHoleForge]

I wonder if the reason why you didn't hear about that kind of furniture, was because most of the wagons were headed out west towards California and such. And once they got to their destination, they would take apart their wagon. So that means there wouldn't be any of those examples out east where we live.

[@RexKrueger]

I lived in CA for 4 years!

[@gosonegr]

Not really, most wagons were sold back, the traffic was rather intense, usually heading north

[@BlackHoleForge]

@@RexKrueger Fair point

[@user-bx9sr5rb4y]

I have gotten a lot out of the furniture forensics series. Your excitement for discovering and explaining the tell marks is contagious, and so was mine when I have applied my own analysis. My cousins started skeptical, then got excited when they understood what I was seeing in my grandparents' 1920s dresser.

[@balloo350]

Rex, now you need to do a build on this buck board bench.

[@maxinehardy9411]

please please, this bench is so pretty!

[@mykolashatkovskyi576]

If we'd go that road - Rex should build a horse wagon first, and only after wank a seat off and convert it into a bench. And I request my royalties if he goes this way! ;-)

[@greatnate29]

Where is he going to get an old wagon though?

[@balloo350]

@@greatnate29 he doesn't need an old wagon, lol. Just build the buck board seat for the benchtop.

[@nicholasst5752]

I’d be interested in the types of joinery you could use to make the angled 3 boards mate together

[@jmrivera83]

The furniture forensics are one of my absolute favorite series. The history of woodworking is so nice to learn. Keep up the great work Rex!

[@EHill-bt1rp]

It may not get a million views but I love it!

[@Timothious_Maximus]

furniture forensics is some of your best content, very interesting stuff.

[@jefftapp8991]

I love the furniture forensics! I was just watching a rerun of New Yankee. Would be a cool long-form video, go to an antique store, buy a cool piece, do the forensics, then build a faithful reproduction.

[@hermit84]

You are one of the few where every single video is fun and interesting. Sure, when you first watch something else, like e.g. the four eyes guy (who I like a lot as well), where everything is shiny and modern, and then skip to you with antique tools and working marks on the bench, it firstly creates this shabby atmosphere. But this is what makes you so true and sympathetic and close to everyone of us. I love it 😊

[@MortillaroCustoms]

Wonderful video! I've been a luthier for nearly 25 years now and restoring old instruments is a big passion of mine. I love to do this very thing with instruments. It is a great way to catch a glimpse into the past.

[@mikesalmo]

A HS friend’s mom found out I like old woodworking. She texted this week and spontaneously dropped off a pile of wood that was an old tray table to see if I could put Humpty Dumpty back together again. And she gave me a stack of her dad’s old screw clamps. I do accept cash, PayPal, Venmo, and old tools. So.. yeah. The thing is fascinating. Hand cut dovetails where you can see the marks from the marking gauge. The top is a 1/4 old mahogany that has been glued, screwed, and nailed to the frame. The nails are pretty clearly a (terrible) repair. I’m not sure about the screws. Some were half rust. They look similar to the ones you’re describing and the slot is very narrow for the size of the head. Pretty sure the finish is shellac based on a quick alcohol test. It’s definitely hobbyist work. The top split itself in a bunch of places. I think (ok, know) neglect and maybe being too rigidly attached. I’ll be gluing in phases for at least a week. It’s kind of like repairing an acoustic guitar top. Still thinking about what to do to replace the screws and for the finish. I want to keep it looking old and worn but leave it with the best chance to keep lasting.

[@nevadacool]

Now I'll be the first person to tell you how much I hate woodworking channels that are entertaining...I watch videos to be taught, not entertained. This was the first entertaining video, that I found to be highly educational, and I didn't complain once in 14 minutes, and 56 seconds minus the ads. Great content, your channel is a great addition to my subscriber list.

[@Fusion_Woodworking]

Rex, we demand to see the permission.

[@genem2768]

There was a clue. He says "we're all afraid it'll break" when he shows the wobbly legs. I was disappointed that he didn't just yank it off of a strangers porch.

[@Fusion_Woodworking]

@@genem2768 would be hilarious if he also recorded the process.

[@genem2768]

@@Fusion_Woodworking prosecutors can always use a good laugh.

[@dannyhale7645]

He could have borrowed from Drew Fisher's ongoing jokes about stealing everything from his neighbor.

[@Fusion_Woodworking]

@@dannyhale7645 or go to Drew’s neighbor’s porch

[@dannyhale7645]

Great video. I love your furniture forensics series. They're all incredibly interesting. I wasn't expecting a quick dive into 1950s hobby woodworking. That was great. A video on the history of hobby woodworking might be interesting.

[@pr3dated]

I loved watching The Woodwright's Shop on PBS when I was younger. My favorites were when Roy would take us to look at old furniture and explain the history and how they were built. This reminded of that - big nostalgia, Rex.

[@wmsheep]

Yet another win with this video- absolutely fascinating. Love it.

[@peterbaum1823]

When my wife and I first furnished our house, we hit estate sales, garage sales, consignment shops and auctions. Our furniture forensics were to determine if it was made of veneered or laminated chipboard, particle board, or other industrial waste. Ah, mid century style "furniture", when my desk and bookcase purchased in NYC in 1968 sagged and broke apart in two years, the pot metal pulls snapping off immediately. One reason I started woodworking.

[@nathanpayne3611]

Not only is the history interesting, but you help us learn from others talents and mistakes!

[@joelong6247]

I didn’t think I’d care too much for this subject. BOY, WAS I WRONG. Nicely done Rex.

[@mypony891]

I love these forensic videos. Thanks Rex

[@martyjenkins3631]

Hey! "a product of the 1950's...combination of older and newer styles...now too old to rely upon..." Are you talking about me, Rex? Seriously, a great vid. And I agree that furniture forensics is a unique and fascinating topic.

[@dwwoodbuilds]

Love these videos! The analysis and breakdown of the elements/process is very interesting! Thank you!

[@vasky22]

Definitely enjoy Furniture Forensics. After watching your first one, I started going to friend's homes and looking under their more antique-looking furniture, opening drawers, etc, doing my own forensics.

[@wesleymitchell2460]

If you’re ever in St. Louis and you wanna see a very cool mid-late 1800’s Jacobean table with hand carved chairs I’d be glad to have you.

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

Sound kuul. 🙏🏼🔥⚒️🧙🏼

[@jonbates5873]

Love this stuff analyzing The old stuff makes us better Woodworkers helps us to Depict the flaws and stay away from them.Please make more of these Videos

[@paulmaryon9088]

Thanks Rex, what a great video, as a restorer here in the UK I get to do this everyday! How lucky am I. Thanks again, keep 'em coming

[@GaryKlineCA]

It's great to look at older piece and see what works and what doesn't, and what is a matter of taste. Love these videos!

[@bradcummons7132]

Rex this is one of my favorite type of video. There are so many videos on how to use a tool but few on how things are built. Thank you

[@shanecoffey8314]

It's sad the algorithm beats these videos up. They're my favorite ones!

[@StefanTarras]

Big fan of this series! Thanks Rex and to your neighbor for letting you borrow it to show us!

[@joetoner8848]

Great tribute to woodworking & its history. Well done, as always!

[@johnt2443]

Love this guy’s channel, this is fascinating stuff

[@joewbrown]

I think you captured what I love about these videos right there at the end. Shining a light on how these older, hand made, less than perfect pieces were made 100 years ago, really helps me connect with people from the past and peek inside their lives for a minute. They also teach me how to read both the the history and construction of pieces I come across myself, and that regularly changes how I feel about them as objects. Never stop!

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

I'm 62, so I grew up in UK during the dark ages (when the world was still flat) but I have never seen cart seats converted into home furniture; did we miss something? I have seen car seats put on box bases, I have seen high-end air-damped reclining lorry (truck) seats put on rotating office chair pedestals, I have seen bus seating used in pubs and I've seen rail carriages used as seated cafes but never - NEVER - have I seen veteran wooden cart seats fitted with legs. It saddens me that my British woodworking predecessors, who made some of the worlds best 'classic' furniture, completely failed to see the charm in this...rustic masterpiece. How lovely would that bench look in an English rose garden or in front of a 500 year old Scottish stone cottage or ancient Welsh farmhouse? I love it and I'm going to make (recreate) it...!

[@mercoid]

You might start a fad.

[@eog0579]

I may be wrong but I think part of the reason you don't see this type of furniture in the UK because we didn't have this type of horse drawn vehicle here.

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

@@eog0579 Last night, I watched an old video of Jack Hargreaves (Out of Town or Old Country series) and Jack was on a cart with a seat like that.

[@hostofwords]

I've been thinking of documenting the dresser my grandfather built for me more than forty years ago. Now that I know more about the craft, seeing the details of how it's constructed and how solid it still is, it might be great to share in the forums

[@chetfishmt]

I love this series. It's fun digging into the history of woodworking. I definitely enjoy all of your content. Rex, you have a passion for woodworking and it show.

[@daveallen007]

Rex, I love it when you “steal” someone’s furniture and tell us its history, methods for construction, and tools used; and yes, even if yellow glue was used. Thank you for these videos. I do hope you returned the bench before your neighbours noticed. 😁

[@pitsnipe5559]

My guess is that it was done in the early 1960’s. The roughness of the legs was a popular design ascetic then. In fact, I made a buggy seat bench from plans in Popular Mechanics in 1964.

[@benjaminbrewer2569]

Came from the shorts, subscribed for this. I recently reread the Laura Ingles wilder books. Remember Almanzo building his own horse drawn sleigh? Your buck board bench was probably made by a similar man. Back then they were a little bit closer to the European craftsman roots.

[@eanholt]

Already watched on patreon, but I'm here to say I love this series!

[@MrAnimal1971]

I love the furniture forensics!!!!

[@kenbrown5217]

As a fellow forensic furnicologist and repair shop I love when a really old piece comes to me. Recently restored a simple secretary desk (cherry) that had been damaged during a move. The top was nailed on with cut nails, the back panels were 1/4 in rough sawn slats also square nailed, not tongue and groove. Scribe marks around the hardware, etc. I believe square nails were phased out around 1880s, and plywood was quickly adopted by 1900, so I would guess the piece was made between 1870 to 1895ish. Are my dates accurate about the nails and plywood? Ken

[@robandsharonseddon-smith5216]

Have a look at the Hammer range of combo machines. We do srill make combo options, just at the higher price point...

[@mrozhere]

You're the best, Rex.

[@davidreed3359]

Your forensic videos are always my favorite.

[@thisisMeDM]

This is my new favorite video format. Absolutely excellent content, please do more

[@austininatx]

this is my favorite woodworking series on youtube, I love them all

[@M0rtunodos]

I'm a patron, and these are indeed my favorite kind of videos!

[@williammaxwell1919]

Hay, I'm not from the Midwest (I'm actually Antipodean), but as soon as I read "buck board bench" I knew what it was. I've got things made with gimlet screws which gives me more insight into the prices. Thanks Rex, and oh, the bench has a eurythmy that is delightful.

[@nathancamp6883]

Furniture Forensics is my favorite series among your videos, Rex. All that research training pays off in a way I'm pretty sure you never anticipated when you were working on your dissertation!

[@DrDoom76]

I like this type of info. I use it when I hit the thrift stores to determine if it's a rare gem or just a manufactured dud. Hope to see more

[@Kymlaar]

Love these deep dives. Forensic examination can tell you a lot about different time periods and the woodworkers of the time. Thank you for taking the time!

[@margaretkrantz1469]

I find this series fascinating. Good reading of the evidence.

[@rossmcleod7983]

Excellent breakdown Rex, I do love Moravian work, just finished an epic build, a work bench that I dearly love, looking forward to getting into some stools now, many thanks.

[@timmy111]

I love everything about this video. Thank you.

[@erkeltree]

We all love to learn, thank you for the class.

[@chadwickpainter8212]

Dude you gotta remake that bench. Something similar but without as many issues. I dig the style of the seat man.

[@salottin]

Gotta love these videos! They get the gears turning

[@beansproutmusicalinstruments]

Yes, my favorite Rex series!

[@adamguinnmusic5871]

Absolutely love the furniture forensics! Would be down with at least one a month

[@florian5132]

Thank you Rex!

[@Psittacus_erithacus]

Love this content. Excellent, enlightening & enjoyable as always.

[@jdjd2922]

This is good. So good. More of this please.

[@CCNorse]

Love the "Furniture Forensics" series.

[@geoffb108]

I really appreciate these forensic sessions. I hope you or, someone with an interest in hand made furniture finds my furniture in the future. I do things a little left of field and maybe a little bit lazy. I dont spend my time on many ancient joinery techniques which were needed as a backup when glue was not expected to last long. I tend to trust glue. Time will tell but i wont be there when thing might become a bit loose and wonky. My favourite technique is to butt glue joints and reinforce after the glues sets with screwed and glued angle block or cross the grain cleats. Through dowells are another easy way to reinforce my joints. I also tend not to fill all blemishes or nail holes. Why wait for misuse and weathering to give it character. Hand planing or spoke shave i prefer to perfect machine finishes. Who wants their master piece to ,,,,look like a bought one,,,,, My work is original designed , from recyced wood. I use machines to mill the timber to shape but love to leave a hand worked look and feel. I finish with schellac or tung oil. I often wonder what will be said about my ....home made, for home use .....furniture after i have joined the saw dust. Geoff from Tasmania

[@darodes]

Love the furniture forensics series, Rex! My wife rolls her eyes and gives me a hard time because I’m a younger guy aging too quick 😅

[@genem2768]

That go get the bench music was very reminiscent of the intro to the Chuck TV series.

[@christopherharrison6724]

I find these videos fascinating,great video Rex

[@hugojcardoso]

Your Furniture Forensics videos are so interesting!

[@johnmarten445]

These are some of my favorites

[@shanepoindexter2644]

We all like the detail examinations!

[@russbrutcher2623]

Great video, Rex. Thank you

[@zachbnonymous]

I had an old Craftsman table saw/jointer combo. It didnt seem too unsafe, as you had to change the belt from one tool to the other in order to use them. That being said, it only used a seven inch blade, and even a new belt was prone to slipping under even a light load. And the jointer was only about three inches, so it wasn't very handy

[@GillTeeGifts]

This is AWESOME content and info Rex! Loved it!

[@timothysnave]

This was an absolutely beautiful video.

[@jessedouglas7589]

Thank you Rex. This is excellent content. Thank you

[@JackFright]

Enjoyed this. Thanks, Rex!

[@markyboy4777]

Good job Rex.

[@chrisrand9346]

I've seen one of those buckboard benches in person and it has the original springs I think there kinda cool